Friday, April 11, 2008

Visiting Life - Bridget Kinsella

I picked this one up based on the subtitle's promise - "Women Doing Time on the Outside".

From the flyleaf - " Why in the world would anyone get involved with a prison inmate?"

Bridget Kinsellais a highly educated woman, an editor at Publishers Weekly. While trying to sort her own life and future out after a disastrous and childless marriage, Kinsella decides to try her hand as a publishing agent. A manuscript from a prison writing class ends up in her hands. She is struck by the writing and on a whim decides to begin a correspondence with the inmate, Rory Mehan. As their relationship progresses (Kinsella is now visiting regularly) the book descends into a self serving missive. I was quite interested in the interviews she did with a few women who are actually living this life, not visiting it for short time as is Kinsella. I wish she had expounded more on their experiences. This is a slim book and didn't take too long to finish. I did read it all, although I found myself skimming past the overly described self discovery passages. I found it difficult to actually believe/feel the connections and healing that she claimed from this relationship.

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FTC Disclaimer:

Unless otherwise indicated, all of the books I review are either purchased by me or borrowed from the library. When a review copy has been received from an author, publisher or company, it is in exchange for a fair review and has no effect on my opinion of the book. There is no monetary compensation for reviews. All reviews are my own personal reaction to and opinion of the book.